To inform voters and to help the baiduhai Editorial Board make endorsements, the board posed a series of questions to the candidates running for alderman. See their answers below. See how other candidates answered here.
Name: Anabel Abarca
Ward: 12th
Current job: Alderwoman, 12th Ward – Chicago City Council
Previous political experience: Alderwoman, 12th Ward – 2022
Education: DePaul University – BA; Arizona State University – MPA; Loyola University Chicago – JD
Spouse’s occupation: N/A
Sources of outside income: N/A
The rise in violent crime remains a top priority for City Hall. Homicides, shootings and carjackings are all unacceptably high. Tell us how city government can be innovative in combating crime, and explain what measures you would propose if elected.
The city of Chicago will soon have a revenue stream from the casino to be built in River West. I would propose using a dedicated portion of this revenue for two crime prevention programs: 1) Targeted gang prevention outreach to at-risk youth, and 2) expansion of the Chicago ONE program. The first would target youths within either a ward or police district and work with the Community Policing Districts. Counselors, substance abuse treatment, job training, and individual mentors would be assigned. Second, the Chicago ONE program currently offers the majority of job opportunities during the summer. Many teenagers need year-round mentoring and job placement.
The CTA, one of the nation’s largest transit systems, remains a troubled agency grappling with issues ranging from violent crime and ghost buses and trains, to flagging ridership. Give us your thoughts on what specific measures CTA should take to make train and bus service safer, more reliable and more equitable for Chicagoans.
The CTA should, at minimum, provide accurate tracking information based on actual bus/train movement instead of the current method which uses historical information. Using historical information presents the problem of ghost trains/buses. Second, the CTA should look to adapt its schedule to post-COVID needs as many Chicagoans are no longer working in person. Third, instead of private security, we need uniformed officers patrolling the stations. Finally, we need to revamp the process by which bus operators can become train operators and hire more employees. The CTA is dangerously short-staffed and I see that personally when I ride the Orange line. It is a night and day difference now in 2022 compared to February of 2020 when I rode the Orange/Red line on a daily basis.
Ten years ago, enrollment at Chicago Public Schools was 403,000 students. In September, enrollment stood at 322,000 students. Enrollment at CPS has dropped for 11 consecutive years. What specific measures should CPS undertake to reverse the trend of ever-dwindling enrollment?
CPS cannot reverse dwindling enrollment on its own. The student population of CPS has been declining for years not, primarily from the South and West sides of the city. The lack of affordable housing, affordable child care as well as disinvestment in many South and West side neighborhoods means families are leaving Chicago. CPS does not have the resources to fix these issues. The city must focus on ensuring that affordable housing is not relegated to the developer fund and that a meaningful focus on investing in the neighborhoods results in job creation. Families will stay when there are jobs and housing.
Disinvestment on the South and West sides is a decades-long problem with myriad causes. Give us at least one innovative idea that you believe could play a role in reversing South and West side disinvestment, and explain why the idea is realistic and feasible.
The city must invest in the South and West sides before even more residents leave. I would like to see a winning bid program aimed at developers who bring in proposals for mixed-use, blue-and middle-income communities with a focus on developing the areas around the CTA train stops, Metra stops, and along the boulevard system. There is potential for adaptive re-use in buildings that were once manufacturing or industrial. This idea is feasible because it focuses on areas that already have public transit access, which is a benefit when it comes to attracting residents. Further, those transit points that are either in or near a TIF. One of the best examples I can think of is the Ashland Orange line stop. This area has been neglected for years due to the 55. However, with some creativity, it could be a major hub for residential and commercial development along the northern end.
Do you support giving Chicagoans property tax relief? If yes, please explain how you would accomplish it. If no, please explain why not.
I am in favor of providing tax relief to Chicago homeowners who saw double-digit increase in their property tax bills this past year. That said, I understand the reality in which we live, which is that any tax relief would most likely come at the cost of service cuts or lower payments to pensions. The City only has direct control of its property tax increases and options such as increasing state funding to CPS is an issue that must be voted on at the state level. Therefore, in order to prevent ballooning tax bills, I feel that any increase must be limited to 5% or below on a yearly basis. Further, I would highly encourage the Assessor and Board of Review to work on properly assessing residential homeowners as well as commercial properties. Neither can shoulder the burden alone.
Give us your take on the city’s use of tax increment financing districts. Do you feel they have been useful, or do you feel that the problems associated with them outweigh their usefulness? What if any reforms would you want to apply to the city’s usage of TIFs?
TIFs have been useful for some neighborhoods but not all of them. I’d advocate for a limit in how much of the city can be under a TIF and penalties for failing to meet benchmarks required. Performance agreements/benchmarks should be strengthened in order to receive TIF funding. TIF subsidies must be clawed back from companies or developers that fail to meet them.
Lead in drinking water is a major health concern for the city. It is estimated that in Chicago there are roughly 400,000 homes and small apartment buildings with lead service lines. So far, the city has replaced less than 300 lead service lines. Do you feel the pace of lead service line replacement should be expedited, and if yes, what is the best, most feasible way to accomplish that?
The replacement of lead service lines should be the number one priority of the city’s Water Department. Cities are allowed to use fiscal recovery funds provided under the ARP to replace lead service lines. There is also the $1.7 billion from the State Revolving Fund that Illinois is receiving for lead service line replacement. The city Water Department should work with the Illinois EPA on flexible loan agreements/grant programs to speed up line replacement.
If you are an incumbent, please explain what is it about your service on the City Council that makes you most qualified for the job. If you have never served on the council, please explain what is it about your background that makes you most qualified.
Though I have been an incumbent for a short time, my prior experience qualifies me compared to other candidates. I have first-hand experience running a ward office from when I was Chief of Staff which includes constituent services as well as understanding of the legislative process and collaborating with city departments. In addition to my Chief of Staff experience, I have experience at the city department and Congressional level. City government does not operate in a silo. Being able to work across levels of government makes for an effective city councilmember.
What is the most pressing issue facing the people of your ward, and how would you address it?
Investment in the ward is the most pressing issue per voters that I’ve spoken with. They feel the ward could use a focus on attracting small businesses as well as environmentally conscious light manufacturing. I am committed to working with minority-owned businesses to bring in development and jobs to the ward.
Sum up why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? (Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.)
Two words: pragmatic experience. As an attorney, I am trained to look at the facts I have before me, not the facts I wish I had. As a public servant, I was trained to collaborate and compromise. I’ve explained to voters that I do not plan on taking a hardline approach to issues because simply put, it’s not feasible. We have seen both locally and at the federal level what a “my way” or the “highway” approach does: nothing much at worst, benefiting only some at best. The 12th Ward is diverse in both demographics as well as income and electoral preferences. Voters have told me they want someone who will use common-sense to bring back resources to the ward. My plan is to thus be collaborative (I reached out to neighboring wards even before my appointment to discuss how we can work together) and understanding that some compromise between differing viewpoints will be necessary. I do not plan on operating in a vacuum.